Vintage Century Swiss Automatic Rectangular Watch Grey Dial Gold Frame 28mm Box

About this watch

A striking piece of 1970s Swiss design from Century of Biel. The rectangular matte grey case carries a raised, polished gold-tone square frame around the crystal, held by two gold-tone tabs at 12 and 6 o'clock, so the dial seems to float above the case. The anthracite grey dial is kept deliberately minimal: gold-tone baton markers with a double baton at 12, a gold "Century" signature and slim gold-tone hands. A small gold-tone knurled crown sits at 3 o'clock. Inside is a Swiss automatic (self-winding) movement; the caseback is signed "Automatic - Waterproof - Patented - Swiss" and is fixed by two screws under the strap ends. It is worn on a red crocodile-pattern leather strap and comes in its original Century Swiss presentation box.

Brand heritage

Century Time Gems was founded in Biel, Switzerland, on 5 January 1966 by Hans-Ulrich Klingenberg, on the first day the "Statut horloger" no longer barred newcomers from the Swiss watch industry. The company began as Vacuum Chronometer Corp., making vacuum-sealed watches of Klingenberg's own invention, then pioneered watch cases in ultra-hard materials: boron carbide in the late 1960s and later sapphire, for which Century is best known today. The firm is still family-run, now based in Nidau next to Biel.

Why this one is special

• Bold architectural design: floating gold-tone frame over a matte grey case
• Swiss automatic movement in a signed Century case, an independent Biel maker
• Clean anthracite grey dial with gold-tone markers and hands
• Comes in the original Century Swiss box with the Biel-Bienne crest

Specifications

• Brand: Century (Swiss)
• Case size: 27.7 mm wide (excluding crown) x 35.1 mm long, measured with a caliper
• Movement: Swiss automatic (self-winding), hours and minutes
• Case: rectangular, matte grey finish, polished gold-tone frame with tabs at 12 and 6; screwed caseback signed "Automatic, Waterproof, Patented, Swiss"
• Dial: anthracite grey, gold-tone baton markers, double baton at 12, signed "Century"
• Hands: gold-tone hour and minute hands, no seconds hand
• Crown: gold-tone knurled crown at 3 o'clock
• Strap: red crocodile-pattern leather with gold-tone pin buckle; the strap is stamped Gucci on the underside and is a later replacement, not original to the watch
• Era: vintage, circa 1970s

Condition

Pre-owned vintage condition with signs of age and use: light scratches and some darker marks on the grey case edges, light wear on the gold-tone frame, light marks under the crystal around the dial edge, and scratches on the caseback. The strap shows light wear. Please check all photos carefully as they are part of the description.
Working at time of listing.

What's included

The watch on its red leather strap and a Century Swiss presentation box. No papers.

Shipping & Returns

Free shipping with DHL from Cairo, Egypt.
30-day returns, buyer pays return shipping.

Ref: H875